Today we’d like to introduce you to Kristen Rugile.
Kristen, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I moved to San Diego just over three years ago specifically to pursue a career in real estate. I didn’t know a soul in the entire city or surrounding areas before I got here. My experience prior to getting licensed was little in the way of real estate. I had flipped two homes in Denver, CO and ultimately fell in love with all things real estate, particularly investments for small-timers like myself.
While I was taking my CA salesperson classes, I got a job with a busy property management company. It was crazy to be on the receiving end of some of those phone calls but I also got to do all the inspections for our huge multi-unit portfolio. Thusly, I learned all the ins and outs of San Diego in a matter of mere months.
A few months went by and I was walking around Mission Hills with a stack of my resumes, still with not much to speak of in regards to real estate experience, just a heart yearning to make it here. I had a list of all the real estate offices in the neighborhood but one that wasn’t on my list I stumbled into by accident. It was an unsuspecting boutique firm on the second floor of an office building named One Mission Realty.
It caught my eye as I was walking along Ft. Stockton from one office to the next on my list. Out of all of the brokers and agents I spoke with that day, Troy was hands down the most friendly and down-to-earth person I had met. He didn’t have any unlicensed work available for me at the time but as soon as I passed my test I asked if I could come work for him. I’ve been there since and haven’t looked back.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I almost read this question as a joke! Real estate is a supersaturated industry in this city. The career itself is amazing and everything I hoped it would be but living in San Diego is not cheap… I’ve slept in my car more times than I care to admit. In fact, there aren’t a lot of people that even know that about me. It’s tough starting a new life in a city in which you don’t know anyone.
I sold my favorite car to get the cash-out and bought a replacement vehicle from an auction. To this day, that’s the only thing I regret doing in my entire life. That car ended up costing more than the cash I got out of selling my nicer car in the first place. I’ve had to (and still do) rent my home on Airbnb. It has been an excellent source of income for me while I got established. I still do it because of the consistent side income and I get the opportunity to meet people from around the world. I’ve actually gained clients from it. It’s convenient to do while I’m traveling and I have several friends throughout the city that do it as well.
I’ve had a couple clients where we had gotten as far as writing offers that went with another agent at the last second. One of said “clients” was looking at properties all over the county, with a special interest in Fallbrook (over an hour drive from SD for those that don’t know) and told me they went with another agent because I didn’t drive 30 minutes out of the way to get them at their home, bring them all the way up to Fallbrook, drive around all day, and then drop them back off at their doorstep. All of which was at the time I had my auction car that was falling apart. The only reason I didn’t offer to drive them is because they wanted to see more properties the next day and I slept in my car that night up in Fallbrook as not to add the almost 120 miles roundtrip to my deteriorating vehicle. For the record, I did drive them around town once they got there! I didn’t offer, and they didn’t ask, for a ride. Clarifying that they also didn’t actually ask for a ride, but that was why they went with another agent because I didn’t offer.
Despite the ups and downs I absolutely wouldn’t change any of it, except for maybe the car part. But it’s all taught me some serious life lessons, like how to be self reliant, how to keep your head up even when a lot of people might call your situation “rock bottom,” and how all these struggles ultimately build the character it takes to succeed in any market, city, or industry. You’ll learn more about yourself in one year moving to a new city solo than you would in a lifetime of staying put. I’ve had so many good experiences along the way too and I wouldn’t be where I am now without all of the trials and tribulations.
Please tell us about One Mission Realty.
I’m terrible at being “sales-y.” I have a much more relational approach to real estate. I look forward to getting to know you, if I don’t already, and finding not only the perfect home but the neighborhood that suits you. I appreciate the nuances that each individual neighborhood offers and if you don’t already know what neighborhood that is, I’m going to figure it out for you. I’m a full-service agent and as such you’re going to get top-notch support throughout your entire real estate transaction, whether you’re buying or selling. I really love working with first time home buyers and beginner investors. Something I’m proud of is the 100s of hours of volunteer work I’ve put in with the Oak Park Community Council bettering my neighborhood.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
I grew up in Minnesota. My family has a cabin on a beautiful lake in northern MN and my grandpa would always load all us kids up in the van and take us into town for ice cream anytime we were all up there.
Contact Info:
- Address: 928 Ft. Stockton Dr. Suite 217
San Diego, CA 92103 - Website: onemissionrealty.com/kristen
- Phone: 619-537-9037
- Email: kristen@onemissionrealty.com
Image Credit:
Bradley Schweit Photography
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